Hotele z: Spa w Aomori Prefecture, Japan

Check-in was very smooth. In fact, they allowed us to check in earlier - about 1 to 2 hours earlier, I think. The room was already ready, so they allocated it to us when we arrived. The room itself was rather small but functional and clean, so we don’t really have any complaints other than it being a bit small. I guess this is Japanese standards. The pricing is fairly more expensive than the inns across the road, perhaps because of the location and also because it is very new. The property itself has a very nice onsen. The female onsen had a lot of apples floating in it, which was a very nice touch to showcase Aomori apples. The front desk staff are very nice and very friendly. They also have staff who can speak Chinese. Not that I am Chinese, but I can speak some Chinese better than Japanese, which I can’t speak at all. Nevertheless, the staff could converse in English, or at least some basic English. There’s free yoga and some classes, but we didn’t utilise them as it’s not really useful for tourists who would rather spend time outside the hotel. This seems more suited for locals who want a short getaway, but still a very lovely touch. Breakfast is paid separately and does not come with the room, so there is no comment on that. The property provides Nespresso capsules in the room, and there is also a better Nespresso machine near the check-in counter. I also love that they provide water for free without having to pay extra. The lounge is available for everybody and overlooks the bridge. They provide some free snacks and drinks depending on the timing - different items in the morning and in the evening. That being said, there is no alcohol being served. Also, the coffee there is very bad. I don’t understand why they don’t put the Nespresso machine in the lounge since they have one at the lobby. Overall, everything was quite perfect for this hotel. In fact, the location was the most perfect part. Once you exit the train station, you enter an elevator that goes up to the hotel. Since it was winter, I was afraid I would need to drag my bags for a long time, but it’s right outside the exit after you tap your card and turn left. If I remember correctly, the elevator is right there and there is no need to go outside at all. However, there are only two elevators servicing the entire building, so there might be some waiting time. I would advise leaving earlier if you have a train to catch. The only reason this is not a full-star review is because I requested about a one-hour late checkout due to our train time, and they told us we needed to pay - if I remember correctly, ¥2,000 per hour. I felt they were very rigid about the 11 am checkout time. To be honest, even if they had given it to us, we probably wouldn’t have used it anyway, as we later decided to change our train time to leave Aomori, since there isn’t much to do here. Still, the rejection and inflexibility made us feel very uneasy and unwelcome. I think they could have handled this better by being less rigid and more human. So that’s minus points from us. After all, this is part of hospitality, and it doesn’t hurt.

Service was good. There was a staff who is stationed at the entrance, checking with guest who arrived by car. They will ask for your name, provided clear instructions of where to park. Unfortunately, I have accidentally left the lights in the car switched on. A few moments later when I was doing my check-in, the front desk staff quickly informed me about it. The facilities are good. Food is really good, very different from the other Hoshino resorts in Aomori that I have stayed. At KAI Tsugaru, it is Kaiseki instead of the usual buffet style. The staff took pains to explain and share the reason for each dish that was served. There are only 41 traditionally-furnished and generously-sized rooms offering both Western and Japanese-style designs which gives a very unique and dedicated experience as compared to other hotels which has many rooms.

We stayed at the Japanese Style Tatami room for our time at Hirosaki. Location was near Hirosaki Castle Park and not too far away from Hirosaki JR station. There were local bus stops located nearby the hotel - the hotel also provided a free shuttle bus service from the hotel to Hirosaki Station (one way only service, so you still got to find your own way to the hotel when you arrive), just got to inform the front desk at least 1 day in advance.  Room was clean and had a good view of Hirosaki city, free flow of Apple Juice and coffee at the lobby downstairs was a plus.

We thought it's going to be fresh in August up the mountain but it wasn't. Very hot and without air-conditioning you'll be suffering. Rooms are tiny and it barely fit 4 people. Road to get there is rough so make sure you have an off road car (the last 5 min only). The onsen is insanely beautiful especially the women's. Food was pre-served and left out in the heat to stand. Didn't look particularly appealing. Shared bathrooms.

Although I chose this ryokan as alternative place but it turned out it is my best stay so far. It is not far from Kuroishi and it is accessible by public transport. Room is very spacious and has both a bathroom and a toilet. Onsen is good. It has both indoor and outdoor ones. Usually it is not busy. Food was great both dinner and breakfast. Free flow of both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks are also included. Very generous. Staffs are very friendly, although their English are very limited. Extra 150 yen per person for onsen tax. Cash term only. Cashless payment is available.

いつもスタッフは丁寧に接してくれます。 朝食後にコーヒーを飲みますが、紙コップと蓋が有ればと思いました。

The hotel was great and the view is unbeatable. The ”bath with a view” is incredible and relaxing. It's a bit further out of the already very small town than other locations, so you're going to be in for a 10 ish minute walk to anywhere except the beach. The hotel staff does not speak much English, but were very helpful all the same. The WiFi didn't really reach all the way to my room. Overall, great stay!

Saw a vlog on the property. It lives up to the hype. I went with my teen. We enjoyed the walks. Thankful for the hotel shuttle…the walk alone to the only “halfway house” is 1.5h! Easiest to take shuttle to the end and walk back.  There were some negative reviews of the crush during meals which we didn’t experience, perhaps it’s not peak season? But one should use the QR code for booking your eating slot, it informs you on how many before and asks you to start going down to the restaurant when it’s one group before you; minimal wait time. We stayed for 2 nights: surprised that the mains at the live food stations were unchanged! It’s apple-themed! Appreciated the small attention to detail like having cold coffee brew and cold oolong tea on tap for the weather. And the rubber band for sleeves. The yukata provided in room is “F”= Free-size I believe. There are different sizes in the amenities corner by the lift. S fit me perfectly for 153cm tall. If you chose not to have daily cleaning of room, a small reusable bag with the new towels (which you have to bring to the onsen if using) will be hung on your doorknob. Service was great all around.  Only bug-bear was the inability to book a massage. The service only starts at 4pm and by then it’s fully booked for the day. Perhaps i should have booked online.

We stayed at this terrific resort that offers a free flow of crisp apple juice straight from their own 'apple tree' during their stipulated happy hours. This fantastic retreat boasts its own park, horse stable and even a theatrette, where we enjoyed an engaging interactive performance showcasing Aomori's Nebuta festival.